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(04-04-2015, 10:09 AM)KevinL Wrote: One of the big takeaways here, I think, is that Wellington/Shirley will finally become more of a proper arterial. Not only will the connection between those roads be straightened, a new connecting road (Bruce St extended north) will associate it more closely to Victoria. It's good to see traffic flow will be improved on the local scale as part of this.

Just wondering, if Edna is connecting to the southbound expressway off ramp on the north side of Wellington where do the people that work at Christie park? This is going to cut their parking lot in half.

Are Bruce and Edna going to be level crossings at the train tracks or is everything elevated?

Bruce and Edna will be grade separated from the CN tracks, as will the ramps to Hwy 7. The Christie lot is going to become significantly smaller. A detailed map of the interchange is available on the first page of this thread.

I wonder if the new bridge structures will be constructed as a single span or not. With the changes to the Wellington/Victoria interchange planned, four carriageways seems unnecessary and the ROW would be significantly enlarged by eliminating the separation.

Initial work on new Kitchener-Guelph Hwy. 7 to start in June
May 30, 2015 | Paige Desmond | Waterloo Region Record | Link

Quote:KITCHENER — The Ministry of Transportation is moving ahead with a new Highway 7 between Guelph and Kitchener and expects some advance construction underway this summer.

Bob Bakalarczyk, a senior project engineer with the Ministry of Transportation, provided an update to Region of Waterloo politicians earlier this week, but a definitive completion date isn't certain.

"We have a target completion date of the whole project beyond 2018," he said.

Regional Chair Ken Seiling said he is optimistic that the long-awaited project is finally going ahead.

"I'm taking them at their word that they're starting this ASAP," Seiling said.

Planning for the current proposal started in 1989. A plan was approved by the province in 2007 and construction promise confirmed in 2012.

Seiling said the upgrade of the main route between Guelph and Kitchener is definitely needed.

"I think there's just too many accidents and it's been too long in coming, but they've made the commitment," he said.

About 26,000 cars travel the current Highway 7 every day.

Bakalarczyk said property acquisitions are complete and two main projects will start soon ahead of the 18-kilometre build. More than 80 pieces of property were needed along the route.

The Guelph Street overpass in Kitchener will be widened starting in June to eventually accept one of the ramps for the new highway.

Utility relocations will also take place on the Victoria Street bridge and will continue in 2016. In 2017, the bridge will be replaced and extended.

Also in 2016, Shirley Avenue will be realigned from Bingemans to the end of the Wellington Street intersection.

Detailed design for the advanced work is ongoing, along with traffic and noise modelling and archeological work.

"We also want to finalize the project phasing and the delivery model," Bakalarczyk said.

When completed, the highway will stretch from Highway 85 north of the Victoria Street exit to the Hanlon Expressway in Guelph, with exits planned for Shirley Avenue, Bridge Street, Ebycrest Road, Shantz Station Road and County Route 86 in between.

In 2007, the most recent information available, the cost of the new Highway 7 was estimated at about $300 million.

_____________________________________I used to be the mayor of sim city. I know what I am talking about.

Just looking at that diagram, how bad an experience will it be for those traveling from Guelph who want to get off at Victoria? It looks like they'll need to hit two traffic lights from the off-ramp before getting onto Victoria.

(07-06-2015, 12:19 PM)jamincan Wrote: It's actually worse for people getting onto Victoria from the south-bound 85. In that case we're looking at three intersections to get onto Victoria (one is a right turn though).

Could be worse... planners could of eliminated that whole section and made access left on Wellington/Shirley, then right on connector road to get to Victoria.

Hmm, or getting from Victoria heading Eastbound onto the 85 Southbound. I don't really relish heading North, through another intersection, and then having to pull a complete 180. It will be kind of fun to drive through this every day, though. I was in total awe at the massive stack interchanges in Texas. They know how to build 'em there, that's for sure.

I'm looking at the west side, the area where the current southbound 85 offramp is, the portion going underneath the Victoria St bridge. I know we currently have the Wellington onramp and Victoria offramp feeding near each other, just wondering what that conjoined area will be like with westbound hwy 7 also feeding into it.

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